


Doorsteps

by lar_laughs



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: 5 Things, Community: sg1_five_things, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-27
Updated: 2012-03-27
Packaged: 2017-11-02 14:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lar_laughs/pseuds/lar_laughs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the prompt: <i>Four times John visited Dave, and one time he went with Cam to visit Cam's brother instead</i> and that is exactly what he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doorsteps

01\. It was stupid but John couldn't help throwing a glare over his shoulder at the closed door. He doubted Dave even remembered he'd been on the porch only a moment ago. They hadn't even exchanged greetings, only stared at each other until John had finally said, "I'm going away for awhile."

"And this is news?"

The anger still burned as John thought of the different ways he could have answered. Should have answered. Instead, he'd said, "Thought you should know. In case..." but he hadn't finished that sentence. In case of what? There was important news he wanted to share? John could read that in the newspaper, and often did, without having any contact from his family to let him know ahead of time. In case someone died? He doubted very much that anyone wanted him at their funeral.

Instead, he'd turned away and Dave had shut the door. Like would go on, for both of them, as it would have if John hadn't decided to come. Since it wasn't like John was going to be in this galaxy much longer, it wouldn't happen again. That was probably for the best.

02\. Ronon knew he was just a substitute for the person that John really wanted along on this trip. Since that person wasn't available, he figured he'd step up and be a good friend. To be honest, he was also a little curious about John's family. They'd let little things slip, here and there, but Ronon still had no idea what some of the insinuations meant.

When all was said and done and they were back on Atlantis once again, Ronon still had very little idea what John's family was like. Not only had he not gotten to see much of them but he still didn't get how they were considered a _family_. He saw how John might consider himself shunned but he also saw how John shunned them right back.

"How'd it go?" he asked a few nights later, his plate full of the kind of food that he'd found himself missing while on Earth. "With Dave."

John started to shrug, as if he wasn't going to answer, but ducked his head instead. "It went okay. I mean, we didn't, you know, hug or anything. Just said what needed to be said."

"You going to go back?"

"What? Like for Christmas? I'm not really a family sort of person."

But he was wrong. Even if John couldn't see it, Ronon could. John was more about family than some of the rest of the Lanteans. Maybe that was because he'd chosen his when he'd arrived instead of bringing the baggage of the ones he'd left behind. Ronon wasn't about to try to explain that all to John because the words would get all wrapped up and come out wrong. It was enough that he got to witness how much of a family sort of person that John really was.

03\. "I saw you on the news. Figured you be stopping by."

John resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck, keeping his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, we made quite the story."

"So, why couldn't you tell me you were on the international space station? I wouldn't think that was so classified that you couldn't tell family."

"You'd be amazed at what is considered classified these days." This time he gave in the need to rub at his neck, looking down at his scuffed boots. It would have been so much easier to bring someone else with him but Ronon wouldn't have helped with the conversation and Cam would have started demanding to hear stories about John's childhood. Both were too uncomfortable to contemplate.

Besides, he could do this on his own. He'd worked up the courage to send his brother a few letters since their father's funeral. Surely, he could have a conversation. "So, how're things?"

Dave was staring at him in that way he had when he wasn't quite sure what was going on and he didn't want to do or say anything stupid. It was a look John was more than familiar with from their formative years. "Good. Look, do you want to come in or are we going to catch up here on the front steps?"

"I'd... like to come in."

The frown was replaced by a bright smile as Dave stood back to let John enter. "Good."

04\. Dave's office building was a pile of rubble but leave it to the Sheppards to always have a back up plan. John found his brother operating Sheppard Industry out of the back office of a pawn shop, his entire staff of hundreds now reduced to five. "Tell me good news," he muttered as John walked into the room. "Or at least tell me the attacks have stopped."

John could only shake his head. Better his brother didn't know just how bad it was going to get. "Look, Dave, I was wondering... are you and Donna still together?"

"We haven't been together for a couple of years now. Why?"

"What if I told you that the people I work for would like to offer you a position at the same base I operate out of? Just you, though. No room for anyone else. Would that be something that might... well, you might be willing to take them up on?"

Dark blue eyes bore into even gray eyes. "Is this a joke? I don't have time for jokes right now, John."

"Not a joke. I'm deadly serious. If you take them up on it, you have twenty four hours to close everything down here and pack up."

"Why should I say yes?"

That was not a question he'd expected Dave to ask but it was that he had a ready answer for. "Because you're all the family I have left. I'm tired of leaving you behind."

05\. John didn't know why he was tugging at the hem of his shirt like a five-year old girl. It was something for his hands to do and that was important because he'd been instructed NOT to run them through his hair. According to Amelia, it was perfect just the way it was. He wasn't sure why he'd let his brother's new girlfriend dictate his hairstyle but he'd been the one to ask her for help getting ready so it was his own fault.

"You're not going to faint, are you?" Cam turned to smile at him, one of his eyebrows raised up to show just how much a possibility that was. "It's just my brother."

"It's the brother that didn't appear to have liked me on both other occasions that he's met me."

"He was under a little bit of strain, both those times. It's not like he hasn't known about you for the last couple of years. It's just, well, a lot to take in. His world is taken over by pasty-faced monsters who feed off the President of the United States on public television because he was stupid enough to think he had any sort of control of the situation. Kansas is blown off the map by a random bomb from Canada, of all places so the old homestead isn't an option any longer. Then he's given an hour to collect his life so he can join his brother on a spaceship that's piloted by his brother's boyfriend. It's just a little much to take in. Your brother is taking to this much easier than Trent." 

Cam reached up to swipe his hand over the door control so their presence was announced to the occupant. Before the door could open, John snuck a chance to brush a kiss over Cam's jaw. "Have I told you recently how glad I am that you decided to take the General's advice and come with us back to Pegasus?"

There was a stark look of pain that flashed through Cam's eyes but was quickly hidden behind his usual smile. "Don't have much more to live for on Earth. Besides, you convinced Sam to come and you know I'm jealous of all the time she gets to spend with you."

"Yeah, I figured it would sway you." John straightened as the door opened. Visit Three to Boyfriend's Brother was now commencing. If this one didn't go well, John was fresh out of ideas how to get Cam's remaining living relative to like him.


End file.
